At an event in Miami today, Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, and Tom McAlpin, president and CEO of Virgin Cruises, announced Fincantieri will build the line’s first three ships.

The first vessel will homeport in Miami starting in 2020. Each ship will be around 110,000 tons with capacity for 2,800 passengers. Delivery dates are 2020, 2021 and 2022.

“This is a very exciting day for Virgin and travelers around the globe”, said Branson. “We now have the right partners in place to build a world-class cruise line that will redefine the cruising experience for good. The Virgin Cruises approach will appeal to cruisers and non-cruisers alike, and we look forward to being in Miami and delivering an experience for people who want a new way to cruise”.

Tom McAlpin, President and CEO of Virgin Cruises added: “Virgin is a customer built brand that listens carefully to what customers want, sharing their ideas on what the new cruise line can do to deliver an incredible experience at sea. We are committed to making waves in the cruise industry, and partnering with Fincantieri sets Virgin Cruises up to do just that. Today’s announcement and Fincantieri’s expertise in prototyping, their creativity and understanding of our vision bring together important ingredients in our future success”.